Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to support the mental health of people in rural communities.

The Government recognises the importance of mental health support for rural communities, and recently announced £343 million for up to 159 new National Health Service mental health centres. These will open across England from this autumn, bringing crucial support directly into local neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres are designed to be rooted within the communities that they serve, providing accessible, neighbourhood-based support that reflects local need. This includes rural communities, where services may be delivered through a combination of community hubs and outreach activity. For example, Hope Haven operates within a rural community and uses outreach approaches to improve access for people living across a wider geographical area.

Furthermore, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has invested in rural mental health, tripling previous funding through a new £1.5 million Farmer Welfare Grant, supporting farming charities to deliver targeted interventions, advice, training and resources that strengthen farmers’ mental health, wellbeing, and personal and business resilience. We will announce successful applicants in November.